The description read: “My sister was driving behind this truck in Dubai when she noticed something odd in the back”.

Dubai police are reportedly looking into the footage. Mohammed Saif Al Zafeen, operations assistant for the head of Dubai Police, was quoted by local newspaper 7DAYS as saying it’s not illegal to transfer a wild animal inside a private vehicle but care must be taken.

“It’s not logical for a person to transfer a lion or crocodile inside a car,” Al Zafeen said. “If someone did such a thing and he is arrested, he will be fined for endangering the lives of others.

“People must be more careful and mature in transferring animals and should use a special company to carry their animals.”

It’s not the first time wild animals have caused controversy in the emirate — a lion was reported in Jumeirah Beach Residence in 2012.

Thousands of the “big cats” are believed to be kept domestically in Dubai, as they have become a status symbol for the wealthy.